New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-06
PRISONERS OF POVERTY.
WOMEN wAGE-wORKERs. THEIR TRADES
AND THEIR LIVES.
BY HELEN CAMPBELL.
Xxx.
MORE PROBLEMS OF DOMESTIC SERVICE


seem 30 be most benefited by accepting household
service, there remain still or two phases SCI
dom mentioned but forming an essential port"i
of the argument against 1t. They belong NJ u
the order we have had under consideration puo ~
that below it from which the mass OF ooi''cS'''
servants is recruited. and with when Ihe houSo
keeper must most often zeal.
The phsscs encountered here are born OF one
conditions of life in the cities and lar eowhs
and denied as they may be by quict househoioe's
whose knowledge Of life is bounded by their own
walls, or walls enclosing neighooS OF ike mino
they exist and face at once whoever looks below
the surface The tcnementhouse stands
to-day not only the breeder oil
disease and physical degeneration for every in
mate but as equally potent in social demoraliza
ton for the class who ignore its existence Out
of these houses come hundreds upon hundreds OF
OUR domestic servants, whose influence Is upor
our children at their most impressible age. ana
who bring inherited and acquired foulness Into
our homes and lives. And if such make but the
smallest proportion OF those who serve, they arc
none the less powerful and most formidable agents
in that bunting OF moral perception which is
more and more apparent fact in the life OF the
day. The records from which such knowledge III
CLEANED are not accessible to the general puohc.
They are formulated only by the physician. whose
casional summary OF what may be found in the
sewer underlying the social life of great cities.
Decorously hidden from view the foul stream flows
on. rising here and there to the surface. but in
stantly covered by popular opinion, which pro-
nounces such revelations disgusting and considers
suppression Synonymous with determination.
Naturally this phase Of things is confined chiefly
TO the great cities, but the virus is portable and
Abs faint may DO discovered even in the remote
country. 1t is one Of the many causes that have
worked toward the degradation of this form OF
service, but it is so interviewer and integral q
part OF the present social structure that tempo
rary destruction would seem the inevitable result
of change. Yet change must come before the only
class who have legitimate place in our homes will
or can take such place. Ii different ideals had
ruled among US il ease and freedom from obi
CATION and "a good time had not come to be
the chief end Of man to-day if our schools gave
eny training from which boy or girl could go out
into life with the best in them developed and
ready for actual practical use, this mass OF un-
disciplined, constituencies, reckless force would
have been reduced TO its lowest terms and TO
dispose of the residuum would be an easy problem
As IL is. are ut the mercy OF the spirits we
have raised. and one word holds power to lay
them No axions or theories Of the past have
any present application. 1t is because we cling
to the old theories while diligently practising
methods in absolute opposition to them. that the
question has 50 complicated itself. We cannot 60
backward, but we can stop short and discover In
what direction OUR path is tending and whether
we are not wandering blindly in by-ways, when
the public road is clear to see.
1t is certain that many among the most inteli-
gent working women look lCnsinsly toward do
mestio service rs something that might offer much
more individual possibility Of comfort and con-
tentment than the trades afford. But save Tor
one here and there who has CHANGED to find TN
employer who knows the meaning Of Justice as
well as Of human sympathy. the mass turn away
hopeless of any change in methods. Yet reform
nmong intelligent employers could easily be
brought about were the question treated from The
standpoint Of justice, and the demand made al
equally imperative and binding one for each side
The mistresses who command the best service are
those who make rigorous demands. but keep their
own side Of the bargain vigorously. They are
few. for the American temperament is one Of sub
mission. varied by sudden bursts Of revolt, and
despairing return TO O worse state than the first.
A training school for mstresses is IN much an Go
Bential as one for tho servants The conditions
of modern life become more complicated with ev-
cry year and as simplfcation becomes for the
many less and less possible, ii is all the more
vitally necessary to study the subject from the
new standpoint. settle once for all how and why
we have failed, and begin again on the new
foundation.
Here then, stands the aTTaignment Of domestic
service under its present conditions given point
by point as it has formulated itself to those who
nre ur,ed to turn to it. The mistrcsSes' side de-
fines itself as sharply, but when all Is said the
two are one the demand and the same for
both Men who work for wages work specified
number of hours. and if they shirx or half fulfil
their contract, find work taken from them. Were
the same arrangement understood as equally bind
ing in domestic service, thousands of SELF respect
ing women would not hesitate " enter 1t. Fam
lily life cannot always move III fixed lines, and
hours must often vary but conscientious tally
could be kept, and over hours receive the pay
they have earned conscience on both sides
would be the fin st necessity and it is quite Ger.
lain that the master OF the house would require
education as decidedly as the mistress. woman'h
work within home walls being regarded as some
thing continuous, indetinable and not worth for
NAL estimate.
In spite Of the enormous increase of wealth., the
mass are happily what, for want OF better word,
must be called middle class But one servant OF
helper can usually be kept. and most often she is
one who has used our kitchens as KINDER artens.
adding fra ments of training as she passed from,
Dne to the other ending often fairly serviceabe
md competent. Sure Of her place she becomes
tyrant, and nothing can alter this relation but the
appearance upon the scene of organized tained
labor making a demand for absolute fairness Of
treatment and giving it in return Once certain
that the reign Of Incompetence was over, the pres
END order of servers would make haste to seek
draining schools accept the low wages which
would include personal training from the mistress.
promotion being conditioned upon faithful Obedi-
ence to the new order.
Whst are the stipulations which every self-re-
speeding girl or woman has the right to make
uhey are short and simple. They are absolutely
seasonable and their adoption would be an edu-
cation to every household which accepted them.
III A definition Of what a days work means,
and payment for all overtime required. or certain
hours Of absolute freedom guaranteed, especially